Alarm mechanism.



D. F. KILGOUR.

ALARM MECHANISM.

APPLICATION HLED JAN. s, 1911.

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DA F. KLGOUR.

ALARM MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 5, 19u.

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ALARM y IVIECHANISM.

Specificatie-n of Letters Patent.

Patent-ea nee. 2a, 191s.

Application filed January 5, 1917. Serial No. 140,823.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, DWIGHT F. KILGOUR, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Lexington, in the county of'MiddleseX and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Alarm Mechanisms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a speciiication, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention pertains to improvements in alarm mechanisms and more particularly, though not exclusively, to alarm mechanisms for use in connection with automatic sprinkler systems.

Sprinkler systems are usually provided with some form of alarm means intended to give an alarm when a leak develops in the system, or when one or more of the sprinkler heads releases the water because of fire or for any other reason. Such alarm mechanisms are usually actuated by the flow of the water through the system, or by variations in the pressure in the system.

Great annoyance has been caused by false alarms occasioned by the sounding of automatic alarms when the water in the pipes of the sprinkler system is reciprocated, or the pressure changed because of water hammer, or other changes in pressure or flow not occasioned by leakage or release of a sprinkler head. It is among the objects of my invention to provide an alarm system which will not sound an alarm except when a sprinkler head releases it or when a leak develops in the system, my improved system not sounding an alarm when the pressure in the sprinkler system is changed, or when water hammer occurs.

Referring to the drawings which show one illustrative embodiment of a preferred form of my invention:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automatic alarm controlling system interposed in a sprinkler system and is illustrative of a preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the controlling valve below the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation of the controlling valve on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view Vof the controlling valve on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale through a portion of the Valarm controlling apparatusshown in Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings and the preferred form of my invention, I have shown a pipe 5 adapted to supply water to the alarm controlling valve and to the pipe 6, which connects with the distributing pipes throughout the building protected by the sprinkler system. Interposed between the pipe 5 and the pipe 6, I have shown an illustrative alarm-controlling valve having a body portion 7 and provided with an oscillatory valve element 9 constituting one form of flow-actuated-controlling means and normally positioned adjacent the bottom portionV of the body portion 7,;as shown in full lines in Fig. 3. In this position the valve element or vane 9 substantially closes connection between the supply pipe 5 and the discharge pipe 6. The illustrative valve element 9 shown in the drawings is pivoted at 1() and provided with a stem 11 having a portion projecting outside the body of the valve. I preferably provide a manually operable lever 13v connected to the valve stem 11. Through the valve element 9 I preferably provide a relatively small aperture 64 which may, as shown, be provided with a check valve 65 adapted to permit discharge of water through the aperture 14 from the supply pipe 5 to the discharge pipe 6, but which preferably prevents the return of any substantial amount of water from the discharge pipe 6 to the supply pipe V5. After water is admitted to the whole lsprinkler system, the valve element 9 is preferably located in its lowermost position, being held there by gravity. If any substantial amount of water escapes from the sprinkler system, the pressure on the upper side of the valve `element 9 will be lowered and the pressure of the water in the supply pipe 5 will raise the valve element 9 to permit the free flow of water from the supply pipe 5 to the discharge pipe 6. As the valve element 9 is raised, it rocks the valve stem 11, thereby raising the handle 13.

I preferably connect the alarm system or systems to the Alever or handle 13. In the illustrative embodiment of my invention disclosed in the drawings, I have shown electric wires 15 and'l, which may be connected to any'suitable electric alarm. The circuit is preferably opened and closed by movement of the lever v12 and sufcient lost motion is preferably provided to necessitate aA con-v siderable movement of the vane before .the Contact is made. In the illustrative embodiment of my yinvention disclosed in the drawings, a movable terminal connection 17 is connected to the wire 16 and to the lever 13, anda suitable stationary terminal connection 18 s connected to the wire 15 and to l the body portion 7 of the valve. i

I preferably provide cooperating water falarm means, which may take the form of any suitable water-motor adapted to operate a suitable gong or other suitable device. may control the admission of water to the water alarm means by a supplementary valve 20, which is preferably of the plug cock type and which is preferably 'connected to the valve element 9 by the lever 13, connecting link 21v Vand supplementary valve leverQQ. The plug cock 2OV is preferably vso disposed that watercanno-t pass through it until considerable movement of thevlever 13 has takenwpl'ace. f To provide for the ready control of the water-passing through Y 25V :the water motor, l may interpose a pressure actuated valve, bestfshownin Fig. 5, which may include the body portion 30 having a connection 31 with the supplementary valve 20, an inlet connection 32 connectedto any portion ofthe pressure system and outlet weoimeetion 33 connected tothe water motor 19. f i p The Vvalve body L3() preferably contains a Ypiston valvewhich' is preferably provided with a large pressureV area 34- adapted to be operated `by water from` the connection 31 and with balanced' pistons 35 and 36 located vone onV each side of the inlet 32 when the valve isclosed, but adapted'to permit flow of water from the'inlet 32 and outlet 33 when the valve is open. The chamber 37 'above the .piston 342 `is preferably provided with an escape outlet 38 to prevent acc-umulation of pressure in VtheV chamber- 37. The Vpistons/34k, 35 andv 36 lare preferably conn'ectedby a valve piston rod 39 which preferably,y as shown, extends eXteriorly of the valve casing` 30 and maybe provided with a handle 4.0 so that the valve may be closed by hand.' 'i i lf any considerable amount of air is trapped in anyof'the pipes of the sprinkler system on lthe discharge side of the alarm apparatus, this airwill have a tendency to expand and be contracted afs the4 pressure inthe water main is raised orlowered. rlfhis tends to produce :al Viiow Vof water through the alarm. valve when the pressure in the main is increased and the entrapped air compressed. lf the increase in pressure were rapid, suiiieient flow of water would take placeA tooperate the alarm. To prevent this, l; Ypreferably provide means for `maintaining` pressure-'in the sprinkler system, leven when the 'pressureV in the main is `greatly reduced. This means prefe 'ably ycomprises a check valve 60 inthe supply line to the alarm valve adapted to prevent flow of water from the sprinkler system to the water supply main. preferably interpose fan air chamber G1 between the cheek valve 60 and the alarm va.lve,so that a maximum pressure will be maintained in the Ysprinkler system and alarm controlling mechanism, even when the pressure in the supply main is lowered. The location of the relatively large air chamber. 4on the supply side ofthe f alarm controlling system also tends 'to labsorb changes in pressure occasioned by water hammer and to reduce to a minimumlthe fluctuation of the ilow actuated alarm controllingelement when water'hammeroccurs. v 'f i 't -The operation of thevalveisas follows: llilhen the sprinkler system isfilled` with water, the leverv 13 is depressed either by hand or by its own weight, thereby position- NingV the valve element 9 v'in 'the lower portion'of the'easing 7 'While the valve element 9 is in this position, if' there is any disturba-nee of pressure dueV to water hammer or other temporary unbalancing of water pressures, the valve element'9 may 'move a considerable distance vback and forth against its seat l without completingthe electric circuitbetweenthe wires 15 and 16, and without opening v*the plugv cock 20. Should cumulative, ,unidirectionalL infrequent unbalancingsv of' pressure'take place tending' to move the valve element 9' in an upward direction, it may seat itselfy between such unbalaneings of pressure by reason of its Vweight and thatof its connected lever,

which preferably V.tcndsfio c'losethe valve. Should, however', a-uy'considerable famount upwardly suiiicientlyto provide direct communication between the supply pipe 5V and the discharge pipe 6; Similarly, after this movement of the valve element' 9Y hastaken place, the cock 204 is preferablyturned sulhciently by the lever 13, link21 and supplementary valve lever j22, to permit the admission of water under the'piston 34# Pressure between the `Vpistons and 36 beiupf;

balanced and one side of the piston 34 not Y being,` under pressure, the valve stem 39 with its connected piston will move longitudinally of the valve body 30, thereby moving the piston 35 past the outlet connectionf33 and 'permitting free flow 0f watel1 from the 'inlet 32 to the outlet 33 and thence to the water alarm. s

'The alarm valve may be closed, either manually or automatically by the operation of gravity. To permit the exhaust of iiuid from beneath the lpiston 34, I may provide a draw-off cock 11, which may be be understood that changes involving omisl sion, substitution, reversal and rearrangement of parts may be made without departing from the scope of my invention. My invention is best defined by the following claims:

1. An automatic sprinkler alarm system comprising, in combination, alarm means, an alarm-controlling valve, a water supply pipe for conducting water to said alarm-con trolling valve, a water discharge pipe adapted to be maintained full of water under pressure and extending from said alarmcontrolling valve to the sprinkler heads, said alarm-controlling valve providing a flowcontrolled element normally balanced by the water pressure on its opposite sides and having provision for movement within definite limits of distance without a'ording direct communication between said supply pipe and said discharge pipe, and without initiating operation of said alarm means.

2. In an automatic sprinkler alarm valve, a water supply pipe for conducting water to the valve, a water discharge pipe leading to the sprinker heads and normally filled with water under pressure equal to the pressure in said supply pipe, a flow-controlled element operatively interposed between said pipes and presenting equal areas to the water on opposite sides thereof, alarm means controlled by said flowecontrolled element, and a casing presenting lateral seats for said flow-controlled element through a substan tial movement thereof, whereby said flowcontrolled element may reciprocate through a substantial distance without opening direct communication between said supply pipe and said discharge pipe and without initiating operation of said alarm means.

3. In an automatic sprinkler alarm controlling system; a water inlet connection from the water supply; a water outlet con nection to the sprinkler heads; a flow controlled element operatively interposed between said water inlet connection and said water outlet connection; alarm means; and means providing for limited .lOW a0' `tuated movement of vsaid flow controlled 'from the *'water supply; a water outlet connection to the sprinkler heads; a pressure vcontrolled element operatively' interposed between said water inlet connection and said water outlet connection; alarm means; and means providing for limited pressure actuated movement of said pressure controlled elementwhile maintaining out of communication said inlet and outlet connections and without actuation of said alarm means but for actuation of said alarm means on fur-v ther pressure ractuated movement of said pressure controlled element.

5. In an automatic sprinkler alarm controlling system; alarm means; a water inlet connection; a water outlet connection; a flow controlled element normally interposed between said inlet and outlet connections but permitting free passage of water from said inlet connection to said outlet connection when pressure in said outlet connection-is reduced, said flow controlled element and elements actuated thereby providing for limited movement without direct communication between said inlet and outlet connections and without alarm but providing for alarm when direct communication is opened between said inlet and outlet connections.

6. In an automatic sprinkler alarm system a valve body; an inlet connection; an outlet connection; a flow controlled vane between said connections; and means providing for a limited flow of water from said inlet connection to said outlet connection without How actuated movement of said vane, said means opposing such flow of water from said outlet connection to said inlet connection.

7. In an automatic sprinkler alarm system a valve body; an inlet connection; an outlet connection; a flow controlled vane; a

pivot stem for said vane extending exteriorly of said valve body; a fixed electric contact terminal; and a movable electric contact terminal connected to said pivot stem, said terminals providing for limited rotation of said pivot stem without alarm and for completing a circuit to initiate alarm on further rotation of said pivot.

8. In an automatic sprinkler alarm system a water alarm; a piston valve for admitting and excluding water from said water alarm; a cock for admitting pressure to move said piston valve from closed to open position; and a flow controlled vane controlling opening of said cock.

9. In an automatic sprinkler system alarm- .controlling means, awater supplyy conduit, a

check valve distinct from said yalarm con-' trolling meansv in said conduit and an elastic pressure fluid reservoir connected to said -conduit between said alarm-controlling means and said check valve.Y

` supply pipe 5 and the discharge pipe 6, and alarm means operatively connected to the Vane 9.

11. In anf automatic sprinkler alarm-controlling system the vane 9, the supply? .pipe Y' 5, the discharge pipe 6,.the valve body providing for limited vmovement of the vane V19 without direct communication between the .supply pipe 5 and the discharge pipe 6,

and alarm meansY providing lost motion `operatively connected to the vane 9. l

12. In an automatic sprinkler system the check valve v60,7the air chamber 61 and cov operating pressure actuated*alarm-controlling means distinct from said check-valve- In testimony whereof, I have signedmy name to this specification.V Y F. KILGOUR.

vCopies of this Vpatent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,V l d Washington', D. 6., 

